Have you tried ordering from a vegetarian online delivery? Or tried a Keto diet? Or have you stuck to eating traditional foods for longer than a week? Your diet says a lot about you. What you eat can tell stories about what culture you grew up in, whether you have an active lifestyle or not, your social class, your health, and even your religious beliefs. Two other things that your diet can indicate about you are your values or morals, and your taste preferences.

For most people, these are the important things about what your diet should consist of. Many people switch or change their diets due to better fit these attributes. Unlike older generations, who have fewer choices concerning what they can eat, today’s consumers have an astonishing range of choices for their diets. These days, it’s not unusual to see people who hire nutritionists or research extensively about certain foods so they can decide whether or not they can eat them.

If you’re not a lifelong vegan or vegetarian already, it can be an incredibly mind-boggling decision to wrap your mind around. Let’s learn more about Singapore vegetarian food or diets, and some reasons why people are making the switch to this healthy option.

Should you go vegetarian?

Let’s face it– being vegetarian isn’t exactly for everyone, but it’s not uncommon either. This tricky diet has been the source of controversy in some groups, but in others, it’s a completely normal way of life. For many cultures vegetarian diets are commonplace and a part of the local cuisine. For those who don’t come from these cultures, however, it can be baffling to hear that some people completely cut meat out of their diet. Why do some do this?

Unless you’re someone with a serious medical condition that makes it hard for you to digest plant proteins or fibres, or unless you have nut, fruit, or veggie allergies, there are several good reasons to go vegetarian.

1) To lose weight and sustain it. Vegetarians typically weigh less than people who eat meat. Compared to vegetarian diets, meat comes with more unhealthy fats and cholesterol that can be the cause of your weight gain should you continue to consume them excessively over the long term.

2) To take advantage of the convenience. It used to be difficult to obtain ingredients for an all-plant diet. Well, not anymore. With the rise of consumer awareness, vegetarians now have a wealth of choices online and offline. You can see lots of common fast-foodrestaurants offer vegetarian options or even have vegetarian online delivery if you wish.

3) To show compassion to animals and eat less of them. It’s no secret that the food industry relies on factory-farmed animals and commercial farming, which have been the subject of much controversy and debate regarding inhumane rearing and slaughtering. Many vegetarians don’t just switch diets to be healthy, but because of personal values and moral reasons.

4) To show concern for the environment. Not only can the meat industry be dubious when it comes to animal rights, there is also another problem that concerns animal farming and the regular environmental consequences that come with it, such as factory emissions and more.

5) To save money. As said before, vegetarian diets are not the realm of the trendy, so don’t be fooled by its surface image. You can find plenty of great cheap and good vegetarian food in Singapore. Not only are they in specialty vegan or vegetarian restaurants, you can also find healthy groceries that stock vegetarian foods and even food franchises that serve vegetarian options.

How to go vegetarian on a budget

Yes, you read the last point on the last section right! There are plenty of ways you can have a cheap yet filling vegetarian meal on a budget. Fruits, grains, vegetables, and other plant-based foods are staple foods around the world, and in most places, vegetables are much cheaper than meat. If you cut out meat in your diet, you can be saving on a significant portion of your food expenses.

All you need to do is to buy smart. While it’s very much tempting to just order your favourite Singapore vegetarian food whenever you get hungry, too much of it can easily make your food budget balloon. Vegetarian food can get quite expensive in more upscale restaurants because it’s regarded as a trendy and hip cuisine, but there are many traditional dishes that you can make at half of the cost.

You’ll save up more easily if you buy ingredients yourself. Vegetables and other plant products can be bought in bulk at local supermarkets, and you can whip up a tasty meal that can easily fill you. By buying in bulk, you can also make enough food for leftovers so you can store your meals and eat them for later. That can equal a shorter preparation time!

And while vegetables are better prepared fresh, there’s one thing that makes it a bit better than meat: there are a ton of ways that you can preserve your vegetables so they can still taste great when you prepare them at a later time. For example, you can easily make use of dried chillis and beans, or freeze carrots and corn to thaw them later. You can also purchase canned vegetables that still taste just as great when you use them later. These alternatives are sometimes cheaper than your average fresh vegetables. Another pro tip: don’t be fooled by the label “vegetarian” when you’re doing your shopping, as these alternatives may just be charging you a premium just for the label. Resort to reading ingredients lists carefully when making a purchase.

Why not order vegetarian food online at one of the most accessible vegetarian restaurants in Singapore? Vegetarian World Food is a great place for any hungry veggie lover to explore some tasty, healthy options!